In my latest EMJ blog, I’ve reviewed an interesting recent paper from Taylor et al that explores some of the finer details of neurogenic shock – a rare, but potentially lethal complication of spinal trauma. Click here for the post. Here is the original paper: Presentation of neurogenic shock within the emergency department. Matthew Pritam Taylor, Paul […]
Basic Cellular Physiology: Fluid Compartments
Osmosis ‘Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from regions of low solute concentration to those of higher concentration’. Biological membranes are semi-permeable – they allow the free movement of water but restrict the movement of solutes. The creation of osmotic gradients is the primary method for the movement of water in […]
Basic Cellular Physiology: Homeostasis
Homeostasis is Greek for ‘staying the same’. In the context of human physiology the term homeostasis describes the maintenance of nearly constant conditions in the internal environment – physiological self-regulation. All organs and tissues perform functions that help to maintain this constancy – it is a coordinated, dynamic process. Disease can be conceptualised as a […]
